The slumbering heart of Gilroy has dusted off the cobwebs and is
throwing a bash of epic proportions today, and all Gilroyans are
invited to celebrate its revival with music, food and bargain
shopping at dozens of stores.
Gilroy – The slumbering heart of Gilroy has dusted off the cobwebs and is throwing a bash of epic proportions today, and all Gilroyans are invited to celebrate its revival with music, food and bargain shopping at dozens of stores.
Music will be on tap in a big way this evening, as more than a dozen bands perform on three stages spread across newly remodeled downtown Monterey Street. In anticipation of the event, flowers and saplings have been planted along sprawling new sidewalks and the newly paved road has a fresh coat of paint.
Merchants and city officials have spent days preparing for the celebration, which marks a milestone in the downtown’s rebirth and offers Gilroyans a chance to reacquaint themselves with the area.
“The feeling downtown is now more open than ever,” said Dave Bennett, owner of High Gear Power Sports at 7661 Monterey St. “The sidewalks are wider, the street is wider. It’s a more inviting place than it used to be. I would hope people get a good feeling on the way it looks. The party will certainly bring people down that otherwise might not come and I’m sure everyone will find something that they didn’t even realize was here.”
At High Gear Power Sports, visitors will have a chance to see a city block’s worth of racing bikes, off-roading vehicles and jet skis spread along the street. More than 40 merchants will showcase their wares and offer discounts and raffles during the six-hour event.
Families will find plenty to do for all ages, ranging from a hot-dog eating contest to an Elvis tribute band to face painting for the kids. Three stages will host music throughout the event, which organizers say is local through and through.
Bands, performers and vendors are all homegrown, including local breweries and vineyards that will be offering up beverages throughout the evening.
“I think what’s different about this from past events is that it includes Mariachis, folklore dancers, rockabilly and country music. There’s even a Hawaiian band,” said Art Barron, a neighborhood organizer for nonprofit South County Housing, which is hosting events for children. “It’s just a really diverse mix that includes all of the community. We have something for everybody.”
And Monterey Street isn’t the only scene of action tonight. The historically inclined can venture over to the Willey House, a Victorian home constructed in 1857 that served as the residence to one of Gilroy’s first justices of the peace. The home at 140 Fifth St. now has a remodeled backyard primed for weddings and other special events. The city will mark the home’s re-opening with a 5:30pm ribbon cutting and an evening of harp and guitar music.
Residents shopping downtown Friday said the area had improved, but there is plenty of work left to be done. Empty buildings tagged as earthquake hazards must be remodeled and more parking is needed, they said.
“It’s an excellent start, and I hope it gets better, ” said Shirley Hart. “We need more and more businesses to come in. It would be nice to have some cafes and restaurants.”
The 15-foot-wide sidewalks installed during a seven-month closure last year of Monterey Street were aimed at luring such businesses, and officials hope a string of new buildings in queue for development will help bring life to the remodeled street. In the meantime, officials are encouraging Gilroyans to join the party.
“I don’t want anyone to think we’re already there,” said Mayor Al Pinheiro, who will lead an official ribbon cutting ceremony at 4pm. “We’re just beginning to do what we need to do. But this a chance to show that we want our downtown to once again be the heart of the community.”
Downtown Monterey Street will be closed to traffic from 3 to 9pm today. Visitors will find plenty of parking in the Caltrain station at Monterey and Seventh streets and in lots off Eigleberry Street, between Fourth and Sixth streets.
